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The Process
Midnight Cabaret traditionally runs on a weekly schedule, beginning on Monday and performing the coming Friday at Midnight. Cabareteers meet for the first time on Monday night at 10PM to brainstorm piece ideas based on a word selected by the Co-Chairs. Pieces can be anything from traditional monologues and skits to concept pieces, songs, movement pieces, or any other genre that translates well to the stage. They are given Tuesday off to prepare these pieces (some may choose to meet up for Writers Lab, an opportunity to collaborate with the others). Wednesday is devoted to reading through and selecting the acts that will be performed. If a work is not chosen, it can be shelved and brought back in subsequent weeks at the writer's discretion. Then the writers cast their pieces. On Thursday the writers are given time to block their pieces in front of the group, other participants are then encouraged to make suggestions on how they might improve the staging. The playbill order is decided. On Friday an optional line-through is held in The Strat Room beginning at 9PM. Participants move to Titsworth Lecture Hall around 10PM and run through the show. Doors open at 12! Monday Specs Time: 10PM Location: The Bessie Schönberg Dance Theatre What to bring: Pencil and paper. An open mind. Meeting, Greeting and Bleeting *Introductions - A Co-Chair starts the meeting by introducing themselves by name and year. Everyone responds in kind, usually proceeding clockwise around the circle on the floor. When it gets back to the one who started they will introduce themselves again: "and I'm still So-and-So" (a tradition begun by Michael Mietlicki and yoshi kuroi). A sheet will be passed around counter-clockwise asking your name, email address, and some funny query - ie. your favorite dessert or your favorite novel with a strong female lead. *The Word - The Co-Chairs reveal the word of the week, which may also be a phrase. Participants have as much time as they need to free-associate based on the word. They will usually have a chance to organize their thoughts on paper before talking to the group, but with larger casts they may be asked to do it all on the spot. As the group listens to these free-associations, they take note of any ideas for pieces that they might inspire. *Piece Ideas - Going around the circle again, often in the opposite direction, participants explain their ideas for pieces. These may be products of the free-association, un-aired pieces from previous weeks, or any other ideas that they've concocted. *Choosing the Writers - The Co-Chairs read through the list of pieces and participants volunteer to write them. The originator of an idea has first dibs, but if s/he doesn't want it then anyone may jump in. Collaborations are encouraged. Show Title, MCs, Playbills and the Pre-Show Mix *The show title can be any of many things: a non-sequitur based on something said during the meeting (Oh The Things You Could Do With A Prehensile Tail), a phrase that ties the show together thematically (See What Happens!), or both (Gonorrhea for Christmas: The Musical!). Anyone is allowed to submit something for consideration and the group votes on their favorite. *MCs are chosen on a volunteer basis. If someone is new to Midnight Cabaret they may be paired with a more experienced performer. MCs are responsible for introducing the show and each of its pieces, they also have the opportunity to create their own schtick for these interstitial moments. *Playbills are penned by any interested party. They may be hand-written or computered. *The creation of the Pre-Show Mix is also a volunteer job. It entails putting together a playlist of 8-12 songs to be played before the performance. Facebook Event The Facebook Event goes up either late Monday night or early Tuesday Morning! Tuesday (Writers Lab) Specs Time: Usually sometime between 11AM and 3:30PM (optional) Location: The Strat Room or The Yellow Room What to bring: The pieces you're working on. Wednesday Specs Time: 10PM Location: The Bessie Schönberg Dance Theatre What to bring: Completed pieces (preferably emailed out to everyone in the group). Game Face. Reading, Heeding and Pleading *Read-Through - Co-Chairs read out the pieces In the order that they were conceived. The writer chooses people to read each part (these are not necessarily the people s/he will ultimately cast in those roles). When they are through, the group discusses their opinion of the piece briefly before moving on to the next one. Pieces that were not on the original list are readily accepted and read-through at the end. *The Great Debate - Participants democratically cut down on the number of pieces to a manageable group (usually 8-14). *Casting - The writers cast their parts by politely asking actors to take them. Measures are taken to make sure everyone gets a fair number of parts. If an actor rejects their part, they may not be forced (but cajoling is acceptable!). The meeting is adjourned. Thursday Specs Time: 10PM Location: The Bessie Schönberg Dance Theatre What to bring: All of your lines, near-memorized Blocking, Clocking and Propping(?) *Blocking - The writers block their pieces, then open up the floor to suggestions. *Show Order - Once all pieces have been put on stage and any new additions have been examined, everyone sits down to discuss the order of the show. Here a number of factors come into play: diversity of pieces, quick-changes, show-stoppers, changeover length. *Props - A list of props, assembled during the blocking process, is read. Cast members volunteer to seek out a handful of these items and bring them to rehearsal the next day. =Friday= Line-Through Here cast members are able to work through their lines with everyone else in their piece. Specs Time: 9PM (optional) Location: The Strat Room What to bring: Lines memorized, any props you'll need. Run-Through Everyone runs through the show, in order when possible, tweaking acts to fit the performance space. This is the first time each piece will have access to the piano, sound system, blackboards and clamp lights. Doors open for the show at 12 Midnight. Specs Time: 10PM Location: Titsworth Lecture Hall weekly schedule